So Much To Tell

Mike was discharged from St. Anthony's on Saturday after a lot of confusion by the staff.  Mike had called me on Friday and said he was being discharged Saturday morning but just to be on the safe side I had Butch call to confirm.  He was told (at 6pm Friday evening) "Why no, he's being discharged right now."  He's packed and waiting for you to pick him up."  Sooooo Butch called me and I said I'd call the charge nurse and see what's going on.  I called her and she said "No, he's being discharged Saturday morning."   Good grief.  Mike had it right all along and it makes you wonder just "who" is crazy!

So, Saturday morning Ron and I drove to St. Anthony's.  Not only was he NOT packed but they couldn't find 1/2 his belongings.  (That's no longer a shocking surprise).  The discharge meeting I had requested consisted of the Charge Nurse giving me a mega long list of medications.  Telling me which ones where 2xdaily and which ones were bedtime.  She handed me 5 prescriptions and Mike.  We walked out and that was that.

After we got Mike settled at home and felt sure we could leave him for a while we started trying to get the prescriptions filled.  No pharmacy had the anti-psychotic drugs.  We finally found 4 out of 5 at a Walgreens so I called the hospital and asked "What am I supposed to do until Monday?"  Their stellar reply was "He will just have to do with out them until then".  

OK.....am I stupid or is the world turning backwards?  I thought that is why we went through this whole thing because he got his medications messed up!   But after much pleading it finally came down to no meds until this afternoon.   Did I mention the 4 medications cost $1,470.00 and as the pharmacist said "Those weren't the expensive ones".  The one we are waiting for is over $1,000. by itself.  Oh....did I mention he's on social security disability with medicare but is too young for prescription coverage which he will not receive for another 3 1/2 years?  His monthly income is $750.00.   What are we going to do?  $2,500/month for medication alone.   I just have to have faith that all is going to work out.  One day at a time!

Mike has spent the night at my house every night and done really well.  I take him home during the day and today is his first day alone.  I made him a schedule for today and his lunch is ready.  I have to include things like shower, brush teeth, use deoderant, the things we all just know to do.  He has my phone# my daughter's # and knows to call us if he has any problems.  I'm waiting for Walgreen's to call when his "liquid gold medication" comes in.

In the midst of all this I was cleaning out the spare room at his house getting it ready for us to move bedroom furniture in when I came across what looked like a regular scrapbook.  I had told Ron earlier that I wished I could talk to my mother one more time.  I needed her guidance with all that is happening with Mike.  So, I opened the scrapbook and it wasn't filled with pictures but my mother's words.  She had written in this huge book her prayers to God.    She prayed for each one of us every day.  There were also many personal prayers about her own battle with depression and the pain she and my dad were experiencing with aging.  How their marital life had been impacted by my father's diabetes and eventual blindness. 

As I read along I got to the year when her own mother died.  She told God how she had always wondered who would pray for her when her mother was gone.  She knew her mother prayed for her every day.  She said she now realized that her mother continued to pray for her even though she was no longer here.  WOW.....my mother is praying for me too!!!!!!  How many times she has spoken to me since her death.  Always, when I need her the most.  I am so fortunate to have had such wonderful parents.  I promised her that I would take care of my brother and I know she is helping me to do just that.  I just have to keep my own faith and believe that God will help me find the way to make Mike's life as good as possible.